What could possibly have been wrong with last years bike course?!?! Besides the little bit of path riding at the end? I loved it for one.

Bump

Looks like there might be new bike AND run courses for 2018.

Any local Boulder-ites heard anything recently?? I noticed that within the last week or so they took down the previous bike and run maps from the website, and now it just says "Updated bike/run course coming soon!"

Not sure if its a possibility (although from a logistics/RD cost perspective I'd understand it), but I wonder if they might be considering using the Boulder 70.3 model and doing the run at the Res? That would suck from an athlete perspective, IMO.

No matter what happens, I'm in for 2018 (need some redemption after a DNF in 2016). Would just like to know what the courses are going to be, so I can start planning, rehearsing, visualizing, etc

21 weeks to go until race day...

I've not heard anything....

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

I was out there supporting a friend last year and the talk I seemed to hear from everyone was that the race would be "Ironman Boulder" in name only and that T2 and the run would be in Longmont.

There was a thread last year right before the race where the RD chimed in and said something to the tune of hasn't ever been the same course from one year to the next and that he changes it each year just to make it different. I already assumed it was going to change just not sure to what but 2018 being my first full it doesn't really matter to me as I have nothing to compare it to.

Apparently there will be a new course:

https://www.facebook.com/events/195872977818709/

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Thx for the heads up! Waiting with bated breath ;) (half pink)

I realize in the grand scheme of the world an "Ironman course announcement" isn't really a big deal, but for those of us traveling from out of town and relying on knowing all details as early as possible for hotels, logistics, family coordination, etc, this actually is kind of important.

I'll be there tomorrow. I doubt there will be massive changes but what do I know?

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that someone is hosting an 'event' for this?

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

It's actually pretty cool. They describe the new course with maps and things and discuss their reasoning for it. Then it's open for questions. Usually they broadcast it live on FB.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Any insight on the new course? Haven't watched the video yet but was curious if it is going to be multiple loop again.

It's two laps. Starts out like the 70.3 on Diagonal Highway (119). The difference is that we will have a whole lane to ourselves for bikes in both directions, so no U-turns on the bike paths. Since the shoulders are really big, I think there should be plenty of room for traffic in both directions. But then we exit 119 onto 63, then turn left on Niwot, so instead of descending Niwot, we'll be ascending it. It's not steep, it's just kinda like a long false flat with a short steeper climb at the end. Then some weird kind of out and back onto 36 which they did not explain.

Next there's a few miles on highway 36 north. No word on what they are doing for traffic control on 36. That is the key road when it comes to traffic issues. Depending on what they do, passing there can be a pain there.

Then a right turn onto Nelson road, which the course will descend. Parts of this can get you to 50mph. Be careful on lap two when passing hordes of scardy-cats.

Then left on 65th and left onto St. Vrain, where there will be a challenging climb back up to highway 36 where you will turn right.

Then a fast descent (43 mph-ish) on 36 up to highway 66 where you will take a right. Again, be very careful on lap 2 here. You can't just pull out into the road to pass people here or you will be flattened by a car going 60mph.

Highway 66 has a very wide shoulder, enough for easy passing. This segment is about 10 minutes and deceptively fast. False flat downhill and often has a tailwind.

Then right on 75th where you head south basically all the way back to 119 to start lap 2, but with a short out and back on Monarch. This is a gently rolling section.

They have not figured out how to get from the end of this lap back to T2 at Boulder High School yet. They say that "for now" the plan is for T2 to still be there. They say the run course will basically be the same as before.

The course should have about 4,000 feet of vertical gain, about 400 feet less than last year.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Thanks for the run-down - very helpful. 2 laps! No more bike path u-turns!

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http://www.extramilenutrition.com

With a start and finish at the Reservoir, a run finish in town seems to be ruled out (as well as a run along the creek).

The bike is still planned to end at Boulder High. They just have not worked out the last 6 miles back into town with the city yet. Run course is expected to be essentially the same as in the past.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Thanks for that clarification. I think that is great to maintain that bit of character.

Thanks for the updates and course insights, Ed!

Not necessarily liking what appears to be 5 x 180 degree turnarounds (momentum/speed killers!) per loop, but appreciate them trying to minimize time on Hwy 36. Especially removing the section south of Neva; when we turn onto 36 from Neva, I'll say a quick prayer for Michelle Walters.

Also, thanks for the info re: run course. I have to imagine that other than the Hwy 36 safety issue, getting athletes from the Res area back to Boulder HS with minimal public impact must be about the most challenging part of laying out a bike course. I'm glad it sounds like we'll be back on the BCP for the run!

that sounds like it's gonna be a slow course (at least slower than other years). Unless they make it 110 miles again ;-)

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Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |

Oh, I forgot one more thing that will make it slower, after St. Vrain, when you're heading north on 36, you turn right onto Hygiene, ride most of the way down, then turn around and come back up.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Ouch! That part always feels a bit harder than it looks. I suppose at least with these turns you get to see other riders a bit.

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Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |

Five turnarounds per lap? I don't understand why there is such a strong commitment to having a mediocre course for this race. I'd love to do an Ironman in Boulder, but they just need to do better on both the bike and run.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Just wait until next year then, it'll change again per tradition. Eventually, they'll have to repeat courses that were in the past, they'll run out of roads & permits allowed to move it to different roads.

Unfortunately, I've been waiting for them to change the run course. Historically, I haven't thought the bike courses were great, but they seemed tolerable. 10 turnarounds on the bike is not tolerable though, might be worse than the 'flux capacitor' run.

Serious question: would it just be impossible either logistically or because of difficulty to do a course that goes up left hand canyon through Jamestown and then up and over to Lyons?

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Well, you can't do Jamestown because you'd have the second half of the climb on dirt roads. You could do ward to Lyons.

But... No one would sign up. History shows people are terrified of courses like that. People are already afraid of Boulder as it is because of the altitude.

Second, from talking with DC, getting any kind of permitting for a route that crosses 66, in some of the small towns (like lyons or ward) or outside of Boulder County is nightmarish. Those people do not like us.

What's wrong with the run course? What's wrong with turnarounds? They do not put you at a disadvantage.

Edit: a peak to peak bike course, while epic, would take a lot longer. And you might still have to do 2 laps, or maybe up st. Vrain canyon to Estes Park and down 36 to Lyons. Someone who normally rides 5 hours would probably take more than 6 hours. Someone who normally takes 6 would take 8. They'd have to keep the course open and roads closed a lot longer if average MOPers are to be allowed to finish. BOPers not welcome. Even then lots of people probably are going to miss the run cutoff. Maybe 1/3 of the entrants of a normal IM have the fitness to finish in time. And only half of those would have the guts to sign up. So like 250 entrants.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook